{"id":2742,"date":"2020-06-22T08:19:44","date_gmt":"2020-06-22T08:19:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/?p=2742"},"modified":"2020-06-22T10:26:39","modified_gmt":"2020-06-22T10:26:39","slug":"milk-made-in-israel-with-ibuprofen-bezafibrate-and-caffeine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/en\/health-nutrition\/milk-made-in-israel-with-ibuprofen-bezafibrate-and-caffeine\/","title":{"rendered":"Milk made in Israel &#8211; with Ibuprofen and Caffeine"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Israeli researchers find drug and pesticide residues in milk\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/risgybqfo0Y?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI sent a sample of milk to the lab because I suspected residues of a certain chemical,&#8221; says Dr. Jakob Shimshoni of the Department of Food Science at the Volcani Center for Agricultural Research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;I didn\u2019t\nfind the substance I was looking for, but during the test, many other substances\nwere found in the milk sample, which made me say &#8216;Wow, what&#8217;s going on\nhere?'&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Shimshoni realized that the issue required a deeper examination. Therefore, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1080\/19393210.2020.1764114\">new study<\/a> was conducted in a collaboration between Shimshoni&#8217;s lab and researchers from the Hebrew University&#8217;s Faculty of Agriculture in Rehovot. This study revealed that Israeli milk contains residues of drugs and pesticides at concentrations that are lower than the maximum levels allowed by European regulations. However, they might still be a cause for concern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"740\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/cdc-wDxFn_dBEC0-unsplash-740x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2755\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/cdc-wDxFn_dBEC0-unsplash-740x1024.jpg 740w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/cdc-wDxFn_dBEC0-unsplash-217x300.jpg 217w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/cdc-wDxFn_dBEC0-unsplash-768x1063.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/cdc-wDxFn_dBEC0-unsplash-1110x1536.jpg 1110w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/cdc-wDxFn_dBEC0-unsplash-1480x2048.jpg 1480w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/cdc-wDxFn_dBEC0-unsplash-scaled.jpg 1849w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px\" \/><figcaption><em>A study revealed that Israeli milk contains residues of drugs and pesticides at low levels. Photo by CDC on Unsplash<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Eight types\nof pesticides<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As part of\nthe study, 51 cow and goat milk samples from the country\u2019s leading dairy\ncompanies were tested. In each of the samples, the researchers found at least\none contaminant (remnants of drugs or pesticides) &#8211; and sometimes five\ndifferent contaminants in one milk package.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Eight types\nof pesticide residues that are used to kill insects and fungi were found in the\nsamples. According to the researchers, this is probably because the animal feed\nis sprayed with these substances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Out of 17 different\ndrug residues that were tested, three types were found in the milk samples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ibuprofen, a\ncommon analgesic or painkiller (also known by trade names such as Advil, Nurofen,\nand Adax), was found at a maximum concentration of 0.04 \u03bcg (micrograms) per\nliter and an average concentration of 0.03 \u03bcg per liter in the milk samples. Bezafibrate,\na blood lipid prescription drug, was found at a maximum concentration of 0.06\n\u03bcg per liter and an average concentration of 0.035 \u03bcg per liter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According\nto the researchers, these substances might also have their origins in the\nanimal feed. The reason for that is that a large portion of the animal feed is\nirrigated with effluents &#8211; purified sewage, which may contain remnants despite\nthe extensive treatment and filtration processes they undergo. This process\nsuccessfully treats the organic matter but has difficulty handling residues of\ndrugs and chemicals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is aggravated by the fact that an additional, quite expensive step that is not currently being carried out &#8211; the advanced oxidation process of the treated water, which could potentially also remove <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/topics\/chemistry\/advanced-oxidation-process\">inorganic substances<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cow\u2019s milk\nwas also found to contain caffeine residues (at a maximum concentration of 24 \u03bcg\nper liter and an average concentration of 6.2 \u03bcg per liter). Caffeine is\nincluded in this group due to its presence in a variety of drugs, although it\nis also common in food and drinks, making it a frequent environmental pollutant\nas well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;No\none in Israel is investigating whether there are any residues of contaminants\nlike pesticides in the food that is given dairy cows,&#8221; says Shimshoni.\n&#8220;Unfortunately, it doesn&#8217;t interest anyone.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According\nto Shimshoni, the fact that Israeli law has not set maximum permitted levels in\nmilk for any of the substances found in the study could potentially have\nadverse health effects for the public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&#8220;When the health and agriculture ministry conduct quality tests for milk, they always look for the same set of substances, and the pollutants we found aren&#8217;t included,&#8221; he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"678\" src=\"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/24443679794_af429c62e2_o-1024x678.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2747\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/24443679794_af429c62e2_o-1024x678.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/24443679794_af429c62e2_o-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/24443679794_af429c62e2_o-768x509.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/24443679794_af429c62e2_o-1536x1017.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/24443679794_af429c62e2_o-2048x1356.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption><em>Eight types of pesticide residues that are used to kill insects and fungi were found in the milk samples. Photo by Aqua Mechanical<\/em><br><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Cumulative\nrisk<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>European\nlaw also does not set maximum permitted levels for caffeine and drug residues in\nmilk, which were found in the study. &#8220;It was not even clear to the\nlegislator that these substances needed to be tested,&#8221; says Shimshoni.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However,\nmaximum permitted levels for the various pesticides have been set &#8211; and the\nconcentrations found in the study are within their range. Nonetheless,\naccording to Shimshoni, these levels may also indicate potential risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One reason\nis that the levels of contaminants in milk may be higher at other times when\ntests were not taking place, but this cannot be known as their presence is not\nbeing tested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Such\na phenomenon might be caused by fluctuations in consumption and use of\npesticides and drugs,&#8221; says Shimshoni. &#8220;It is quite possible, for\nexample, that in certain seasons most pesticides will be used in the fields, so\nthat the concentration of pesticide residues in animal feed, and hence in the\nmilk, will be higher.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In\naddition, it should be noted that the researchers calculated the levels of\nexposure to pollutants according to the average milk consumption in Israel,\nwhich according to the Milk Council&#8217;s data, is 150 milliliters a day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s\nless than a glass of milk,&#8221; says Dr. Hagit Ulanowsky, a health and\nenvironmental risk management expert and founder of The Israeli Forum for Sustainable\nNutrition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ulanowsky\nsays that people who consume milk in above-average quantities may be exposed to\nproblematic levels of contaminants. &#8220;Moreover, people who drink milk\nusually also consume other dairy products, such as cheese and yogurt,&#8221; she\nsays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These\nproducts have not been tested in the study, and it is unknown whether the\ncontaminants found in milk also exist in them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition,\nmilk is not the only source through which we may be exposed to pollutants found\nin the study. &#8220;Some of these ingredients can be found in the fruits and\nvegetables we consume,&#8221; says Shimshoni. According to him, it is necessary\nto check whether exposure to various contaminant sources results in problematic\nexposure levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, Shimshoni and his team are planning to see if dioxins, a group of carcinogenic by-products of petrochemical industries that are spreading in the air and the environment, can be found in Israeli milk. &#8220;These are the most toxic industrial products,&#8221; says Shimshoni. &#8220;Dioxins are regularly monitored in milk in Europe and the United States, but not in Israel.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/engin-akyurt-2rlleYcpvtI-unsplash-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2751\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/engin-akyurt-2rlleYcpvtI-unsplash-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/engin-akyurt-2rlleYcpvtI-unsplash-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/engin-akyurt-2rlleYcpvtI-unsplash-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/engin-akyurt-2rlleYcpvtI-unsplash-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/engin-akyurt-2rlleYcpvtI-unsplash-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption><em>The researchers calculated the levels of exposure to pollutants according to the average milk consumption in Israel, which according to the Milk Council&#8217;s data, is 150 milliliters a day &#8211; It&#8217;s less than a glass of milk. Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>A\nproblem that must be faced<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According\nto Ulanowsky, \u201cmaximum permitted levels for milk should be determined for the\nvarious substances found in the study.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;&#8220;It&#8217;s important to convince those who\nbelieve in public health that there is a need to check for the presence of\nadditional substances in milk, &#8220;adds Shimshoni.&#8221; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIn\naddition, the welfare of the animals in the industry and the cleanliness of\ntheir food must be taken care of because what we do to the animals eventually comes\nto us. It is sad that there is no awareness of this does at the responsible\nauthorities.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ulanowsky\nemphasizes that further research is needed to find potential solutions to\nreduce the diversity and concentrations of pollutants in milk, especially since\nirrigation with treated wastewater is very common in Israel compared to the\nrest of the world (close to 90 percent of wastewater in Israel is reused, with\nthe majority going into irrigation).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Maybe you can spray less in fields where animal feed is grown? Maybe you can wait before the animals are fed with farm produce that has been sprayed so that the pesticides have time to break apart like it is done with human food? Maybe you should prohibit the use of some of the pesticides in crops intended for cattle? One needs to research the issue and find out the best solution,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is also\npossible and necessary to check whether effluent treatment used to irrigate\nagricultural crops by means of advanced oxidation will remove all the\ncontaminants discovered in the study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Other\ntheoretical solutions may include the use of appropriate food and agriculture\ntechnologies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Perhaps\nit is possible to remove the ingredients from the milk or animal feed and to\ndeal with the problem actively,&#8221; Olanowski concludes. &#8220;Surely,\nignoring the matter is not the solution.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>The\nMinistry of Agriculture responded:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>In stark\ncontrast to how it is portrayed in this article, there is no danger to public\nhealth here,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>because\nthese are negligible and minimal levels that do not approach the permitted maximum\nlevels at all. The findings indicate that these are substances used in human\nmedicine or in their diet and not in the care or feeding of animals.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>The residue source is most likely to be found in reclaimed water used for irrigation of fields for animal feed. Water control is the responsibility of the Ministry of Health, so they should be contacted on the issue. &#8220;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>The\nMinistry of Health responded:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cExamination\nof biological residues and pesticides in milk is done by the Veterinary\nServices of the Ministry of Agriculture. The pesticide residue regulations in\nfood that are shared by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture\nset maximum permitted levels of pesticide residues in food, including milk. The\nresponsibility and supervision of animal feed are under the authority of the\nMinistry of Agriculture.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Before setting a work plan on animal feed sampling,\nthe matter will be discussed by a steering committee that includes\nrepresentatives from various fields, including the Ministry of Health.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>As can be seen from the results of the study presented, the residuals identified are low, and the researchers&#8217; conclusions in light of the data are that the risk to the public from exposure to these residues is negligible. &#8220;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>This ZAVIT article was also published in<a href=\"https:\/\/nocamels.com\/2020\/06\/israeli-scientists-residues-drugs-pesticides-milk\/\">&nbsp;NoCamels <\/a>on 06\/18\/2020.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cI sent a sample of milk to the lab because I suspected residues of a certain chemical,&#8221; says Dr. Jakob &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":2743,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[10,9],"tags":[],"acf":[],"post-meta-fields":{"_edit_lock":["1592821599:11"],"_thumbnail_id":["2743"],"_edit_last":["11"],"subtitle":["Israeli researchers have found drug and pesticide residues in locally produced milk, but the offices in charge keep passing the buck. \"No one in Israel is investigating whether there are any residues of contaminants like pesticides in cattle feed ... It doesn\u2019t  interest anyone,\" says researcher"],"_subtitle":["field_59d3d36ea7fe1"],"_wpml_media_duplicate":["1"],"_wpml_media_featured":["1"],"_oembed_1685f5dbdb8156de1d383380be6e5903":["<iframe title=\"Israeli researchers find drug and pesticide residues in milk\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/risgybqfo0Y?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>"],"_oembed_time_1685f5dbdb8156de1d383380be6e5903":["1592813984"]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2742"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2742"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2742\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2771,"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2742\/revisions\/2771"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2743"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2742"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2742"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zavit.org.il\/intl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2742"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}